Feature Friday: Randy Richardson

Feature Friday: Randy Richardson

Each Friday this summer, IWPA’s 3rd Vice President and Professional Contest Chair Ana Mendez will shine a spotlight on one of our 2018 Mate E. Palmer/National Federation of Press Women Communications Contest Winners. This week’s featured communicator is Randy Richardson…

Randy Richardson is an award-winning journalist and author. With a professional background as an attorney, it is evident that this path did not hold Richardson back from his passion and talent for the written word. His work has been published in The Write City Magazine, Hypertext Magazine, Memoryhouse Magazine, and the Chicago Parent Magazine. His books include Lost in the Ivy, a crime fiction novel about the Chicago Cubs, Cheeseland, a novel about friendship and recovery, and the latest Cubsessions: Famous Fans of Chicago’s North Side Baseball Team, a non-fictional collaboration with Becky Sarwate about what it means to bleed Cubbie blue. Richardson’s range of work demonstrates his versatility, and IWPA has rewarded his successful efforts from the start.

Of his success, Richardson says, “Sometimes you take a leap of faith and it leads you to places that you never imagined going. I joined IWPA just over a decade ago, largely because of its Mate E. Palmer Communications Contest. I had a book out which took first place in the contest and a blog entry that took first place in the NFPW. It opened a door to recognitions and connections that have proven invaluable to me both personally and professionally.”

“Last year, I was selected as IWPA’s Communicator of Achievement (COA) and then became the national organization’s first male recipient of the prestigious award. And it was through my work as President of the Chicago Writers Association that I connected with Becky Sarwate, IWPA’s Immediate Past President. That connection led to the two of us collaborating on a book project, Cubsessions: Famous Fans of Chicago’s North Side Baseball Team and Their Stories of Pain, Loyalty, Hope and (Finally) Joy, published earlier this year. It’s been a pretty amazing ride, and it really all started with joining IWPA and entering the contest. I strongly encourage others to take that leap of faith. You never know where it will take you.”

Richardson is currently serving his second tour of duty as President of the Chicago Writers Association, a creative community with a diverse membership that frequently connects with IWPA. It is the partnerships, collaborations, connections, and friendships formed that underlie the strength of a warm and encouraging communications network. We thank Randy for his continued involvement, support, and contribution to this incredibly rewarding field, and to IWPA. Congratulations!

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Communications professional with a Bachelor's Degree in English. Inspired to broaden IWPA's goals of expanding the network of men and women that professionally support each other in writing and communication work. Lover of art, music, and writing. Follow my work on my WordPress blog: anamayramendez.wordpress.com